Summer Spurs
by Little Miss Whitlock
Summary: A great change was on Jasper Whitlock’s horizon; ‘City-girl’ Alice Brandon wanted nothing to do with the southern town. One summer could change everything. A/H.
1. It's the End of the World As We Know It

**Disclaimer: I don't **_**mind**_** that I don't own Twilight, but could you stop reminding me that I don't own Jasper? It's kinda hurting my heart. Kthanks.**

**A/N: I definitely couldn't have done this without the help of one lovely beta, Little Miss Masen, and one fantastic lady--KimberlyCullen10.**

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_It's the end of the world as we know it..._

_R.E.M._

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[ Jasper ]

I woke up to my fingers moving on their own accord, running across the blanket like they were on fire. I sat up, pushing my hair out of my face. I looked over at the clock—3:32 a.m. The angel sleeping next to me was flat on her stomach, her hand tucked under the pillow and snuggling. I smiled as she exhaled loudly, nuzzling her cheek into the pillow.

I snuck out from under the covers, thankful my socked feet were quiet as they met the cold hardwood floor—it was a chilly night in Texas. I tiptoed out of the bedroom and down the hall. I opened the door to the spare bedroom as quietly as I could and peeked in. I walked over and picked up my guitar, running my fingers down the neck, my heart beating faster. I picked it up and carried it downstairs and outside on the back porch.

I inhaled sharply as the brisk cold met my face. On the exhale I noticed that my breath was visible.

"'Nother cold one," I muttered to myself as I sat down on the bench seat. I looked out over the backyard and into the trees, squinting for any animals.

My fingers began moving as soon as they were touching the strings. It always amazed me how they knew exactly what to do even before I could register it. I tried to strum softly so I wouldn't wake up my girl. I began to hum along with the tune that I was now creating. My eyes closed as my heart began to ache, feeling the burn of something more to come. My fingers danced sensually across the neck of my guitar, sliding, cutting new calluses into the tips.

"I know you haven't…" I began as I hummed, trying to bring the lyrics to life.

I stopped playing and stared out into the forest again. Lately my life had gone from feeling complete and content to lonely and slightly empty. I couldn't begin to explain what started the whole mess, I just knew that out there, beyond those trees and forests; hell, maybe even beyond Texas, there was something waiting for me.

I began playing again and let the music overtake me. "You know there's nothing…"

I almost jumped out of my skin as someone placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and there she was, half awake, a blanket curled around her body.

"Hey, darlin', did I wake you?" I asked as she sat beside me on the bench.

She shook her head. "It's awfully late," she said softly.

I nodded. "Couldn't sleep."

"It's cold out," she added.

"You should go back in—don't want you gettin' sick now," I said as my fingers picked a note or two.

"What are you playing?" she asked inquisitively.

I looked over at her and smiled softly. "Just somethin' that's been sittin' in my head, but I can't seem to get it right."

"It's beautiful," she commented as she pulled the blanket tighter around her.

"Liss, go back to bed. I'll be up soon."

She nodded and kissed my forehead. "See you soon."

I waited for her to go back in before I tried to find the song again. After a few unsuccessful tries, I stood up and headed back in the house. I set the guitar down on the couch and hugged my self, shaking off the cold.

I walked back up the creaking stairs, noting that I would need to check them out sometime during the week. I climbed back under the covers. Liss turned over and snuggled against my chest, her hands wrapping around me. I tucked her head under my chin and stared up at the ceiling.

As I drifted off to sleep, I muttered, "to make you feel my love."

********

[ Alice ]

"Mary Alice, sweetie, can you come down here?"

I poked my head out of my closet where I was moving my summer clothes to the front. "Just a sec, mom!"

I hung up the Marc Jacobs sundress and stuck it back on the rack. In a few weeks the sun would come out…well, somewhat…and I needed to be prepared.

I skipped down the stairs and into the kitchen where my mom was leaning over a bowl, wooden spoon in her hand.

"Mom, are you making brownies?"

She turned and smiled. "Yes, I thought they'd be nice to take to the spring festival down by Queet's River this weekend."

My stomach dropped. "Mom, you only make brownies when you have bad news…"

She sighed and set the spoon down. "Well, I don't think its bad news, but I do have news. Your Aunt Kitty called today. You know, the one in Texas?"

I nodded. "Isn't she really my Grandma?"

Mom laughed. "Yes, but you know how that makes her feel old. Anyway, she and I were talking, and we thought it'd be great if you went to stay with her this summer."

I threw my hands down on the table. "The WHOLE summer?! Moooom!"

"No, Alice, just for three or four weeks."

"But what about Bella?"

"You two can live without each other for a little while. The arrangements have been made. Your flight leaves June 15th. It'll be a great change of scenery for you. You'll see; by the end of it you'll be begging to stay."

I huffed. "Well I doubt that. If you'll excuse me, I need to go pack." I stormed off to my room, pulling on the ends of my hair. I let out a frustrated scream and jumped in place a few times. This couldn't be happening. I looked over at the calendar. June 15—three weeks would put me at July 6th. I was going to miss the Forks on the Fourth celebration this summer.

I felt a traitor tear fall from my eye. I wiped it away briskly and pulled out my suitcase. Today was June 10—I only had five days until I was headed to Texas. I picked up my phone and texted Bella, who told me she was still at work.

I threw on a pair of slip-on shoes, grabbed my purse and sunglasses and headed downstairs.

"Mary Alice Brandon, where do you think you're going?" My mom asked.

I waved her off. "Forks Coffee Shop to see Bella. Back before dinner!"

I didn't wait for an answer. I unlocked the door to my 1990 Mazda Miata—my dad's old gift to himself that I had inherited the summer I got my license. It still looked good for being so old, so I couldn't complain too much.

I took off down Division Street towards Forks Avenue. The traffic wasn't bad for a summer's afternoon. When I pulled up to the coffee shop, I noticed Emmett's white beat-up Jeep was sitting in the parking lot. I turned into the open spot next to it and got out, hustling inside. Bella was behind the counter near the cash register, bent over doing a crossword puzzle. I could hear Emmett bellowing down by the booths, telling some ridiculous story about his trip to Europe from the previous summer.

Bella looked up at me and frowned at my expression. "What's wrong?"

I slumped over the counter placing my head against the glass and banging it softly. "My life is over."

Bella chuckled, nudging me. "Alice, really, what happened?"

I looked up at her with sad eyes. "My mom just told me that she's sending me to Texas for three weeks to spend time with my Aunt Kitty."

"Who has an Aunt Kitty?" she asked, puzzled.

I groaned. "Apparently I do."

"So, how long are you going for?"

"Three, maybe four weeks. Ugh, this is my first summer home since college and I just wanted to spend it here, hanging out with my best friend. Why does she have to be so insane sometimes?!"

Bella sighed. "Well at least you get to go on a summer adventure. I'll be here, in Forks Coffee Shop, serving the locals and listening to more of Emmett's backpacking stories."

"I wish you could come with me."

"Oh, me too. But we lasted a year apart, what's another month?"

I groaned as I heard Emmett calling my name. "There's one person I won't miss while I'm gone."

Emmett came up behind me, tucking his arms around me and lifting me off the ground. "Alice!! It's so good to see you squirt!"

"Emmett Eugene Swan, put me down!"

He dropped me. "No need for the middle name, Alice. What's this I hear you're leaving me for an Aunt Cat?"

"Kitty—Aunt Kitty. Yes, I'm going to visit her in Texas."

He pouted. "But, I haven't seen you in a year! Come sit with me, I brought some pictures from my back—"

"—packing trip from last summer where you fought bears and lived in hostels and had all your other adventures," I finished for him. I patted him on the arm. "I'd love to stay, but I have to get home and pack. I'm leaving in five days." My face turned into a frown as I circled the counter with my finger, leaving fingerprints on the glass.

"It's going to take you five days to pack?" Emmett asked.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Em, how long have you known Alice? You know if she's going on vacation, she needs at least a week."

He smiled sheepishly, tucking me under his arm. "Well, I sure am gonna miss you, squirt. When you coming back?"

"Maybe July 6th, I'm not sure yet."

"But Alice! You're gonna miss Forks on the Fourth!"

I pouted. "I know, Emmett. But there's no way that I can get out of this. I've tried. I'm doomed."

Bella looked at me sympathetically. "It won't be so bad. You can still call me. I'm sure they have great shopping?"

I glared at her. "Great shopping?! In Texas? Bella, be serious! I'm going to have to show them a thing or two about fashion."

"At least you'll have something to do?"

She was trying, but she wasn't really helping. I sighed as my phone beeped--a text message from my mom.

_It's time for dinner. Come home, Mary Alice._

I waved the phone in the air. "Gotta run—Mom's on the prowl. Bella, come over when you get off work and help me pack?"

She nodded. "I'll text you when I get out."

Emmett rubbed his fist into my hair and I screeched. "See ya, little B."

I rolled my eyes at his stupid nickname for me—Little Brandon. No matter how hard I tried, I would never be able to escape from under the cloud of my older brother Felix. He and Emmett went to school together, so Bella and I naturally bonded against our big brothers. Emmett had taken up calling me little B because the basketball team called Felix "B".

I tugged my purse up to my shoulder, got back in my car, and headed home. I sulked in the house and left my shoes by the door.

"Mary Alice, is that you?"

I smiled. Daddy was home. I skipped into his office, throwing my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Hi, Daddy."

He smiled. "Hello, princess. It sure is good to have you home."

I pouted. "Not for long."

He frowned. "I know, but it'll be over before you know it. And your Grand—Aunt Kitty—could really use some company." He patted my hand and I let him go. He stood up and stretched, his shirt riding up and exposing some of his growing beer-belly. At 46, he was starting to age, and I started to really see him as "older."

"But Daddy," I whined, hoping if anyone could save me, it would be him.

He shook his head and kissed the top of my head. "Come on, princess, be a good sport about this. It'll mean a lot to your mother—and you might actually have fun."

I grumbled. "I doubt it."

"Do it for me?" He pleaded, giving me the frown that I had perfected and used on so many others.

I sighed. "Fine, I'll go. I won't complain…too much."

He smiled and handed me an envelope. "I figured you would come to your senses. So I got you a little something to help you prepare."

I opened the envelope and saw three, one-hundred dollar bills. I squealed and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy."

"Now don't spend it all before you leave. It's so you'll have a little extra when you get to Texas."

I nodded.

"Robert? Mary Alice? Dinner's ready," my mom called from the kitchen.

Dad smiled and headed off towards the table. I ran up to my room to put my purse away, and plugged my phone into the charger.

I slipped into my seat at the table just as Mom was setting the green beans down. She lifted the lid off the main course and I saw my Dad's cheshire grin appear.

"Meatloaf?! Caroline, you are Heaven-sent!"

I rolled my eyes, but giggled slightly at Dad's enthusiasm. Mom began dishing out dinner, and I passed my plate over. My mom handed it back to me and smiled.

"So, Mary Alice, how was Bella?"

I picked at the meatloaf with my fork, pushing it around. "She was good. Emmett was there, too."

"Well that's nice. How is he doing? I don't see him much anymore since Felix is off at summer semester."

I took a bite of my vegetables and chewed. "He's good."

My Dad made moans of appreciation as he wolfed down his dinner, and my mom couldn't help but smile.

In the distance I could hear my phone chirping and I looked at the clock—6:37. Bella would be off work by now. "Mom, Bella's coming over to help me pack, okay?"

"Sure, sweetheart. I'm glad you're looking forward to this trip."

I looked over at my Dad who was giving me 'the Brandon eye' which was code for 'don't upset your mother.'

I smiled. "It could be very fun," I tried.

"Good."

There was a knock at the door and I excused myself to answer it. Bella was there when I opened the door and I smiled. "Thank God you are here!"

She held up a small bag. "I even brought dessert."

My mouth started to water as I snatched for the bag. "Tell me there's a Brownie Delight in there."

She giggled. "Of course, Ali. Give me some credit, will ya?"

Bella and I skipped through the kitchen so she could say hi to my parents before we headed to my room. I flopped down in my papasan chair and Bella sat on my bed. I started digging into the brownie as she flipped through one of my magazines.

Bella cringed.

"What?" I asked with a spoonful of brownie in my mouth.

"This article—it says that cheetahs, hyenas, and goats perform oral sex."

I choked on the brownie. "What?"

"Exactly."

I shuddered. "Wow, um, didn't know that. Now I can be compared to a goat."

Bella dropped the magazine. "Mary Alice Brandon…have you given head?"

I laughed. "Of course I did. Alec Windsor after Junior Prom."

Bella's eyes bugged out. "You never told me that!"

I shrugged. "Well, haven't you?"

She blushed. _Oh, of course she hadn't_. "Bella, you mean to tell me that you dated Paul Monroe, captain of the wrestling team, for over a year, and you never gave him head?"

She shook her head. "How can you put your mouth on something…something someone pees out of?"

I laughed. "One day you'll change your mind." I put the spoon and container back in the paper bag and flung my suitcase open, standing in front of my closet. "What do people wear in Texas?"

"I don't know. Jeans and cowboy boots?"

I groaned, pulling at the ends of my hair. "Well at least it'll be warm there." I picked a couple sundresses and threw them on my chair. I pulled some tank tops, skirts, and shorts as well, folding them neatly in my suitcase.

Bella hung out for a little while longer before heading home. I changed into my pajamas and was washing my face and brushing my teeth when I took a good look at myself.

"Well, girl, giddy up."

********

[ Jasper ]

I wiped the sweat off my brow and pushed my matted hair back from my face. The sun was beating down awfully hot and my thin t-shirt was clinging to my body. I tossed the pitchfork aside and walked over to the back of my rusted pick-up truck, pulling a bottle of water out of the cooler. I chugged it slowly, enjoying the feeling of icy condensation dripping off the bottle and down my chin.

I swiped the bottle across my neck, breathing heavily due to the hard work and the midday sun. I sat on the tailgate and pulled my sandwich out of the cooler. I took a bite and closed my eyes, enjoying the moment's break. The wind was rustling through the trees, and when I looked back up I saw dark clouds forming.

"There she blows," I muttered, taking another bite of my sandwich.

I heard a door creak open, and Miss Katherine Brandon poked her head out.

"Jasper? Come on in here, hunny, before you get caught up in that rain."

I looked up at the sky and back at her. "It's not rainin' yet, Miss Brandon."

As soon as I said that, two fat rain drops fell on my nose. _How did she always see that stuff coming?_

I grabbed my guitar from inside the cab, tossed my cowboy hat on my head, and headed toward the house. Just as I was stepping up on the porch, the clouds opened and rain came flooding down like a thick blanket.

I shook myself like a wet dog and stepped out of my boots before walking in to the house. I hung my hat on the rack and looked around. Miss Brandon always kept a spotless house.

"Jasper? Come get you some lunch," she called in her thick Southern accent.

I stepped into the kitchen to find some sliced turkey and green bean casserole. My eyes must have bugged out of my head. "Miss Brandon, you didn't make all this just for me did you?"

She smiled. "What does that matter? You work so hard, you deserve a good lunch in your belly. Now, sit down and let's eat before it gets cold."

I walked over to the sink and washed my hands before sitting across from Miss Brandon at the table. Before we ate, Miss Brandon said a quick blessing over the food.

"Dear Lord, thank You for this day, and for providing the food before us. Bless Jasper as he works, and watch over Mary Alice as she travels here soon. Amen."

I lifted my head and began spooning casserole. "If I may ask, who is Mary Alice, Miss Brandon?"

She smiled as she put some turkey and gravy on my plate. "She is my granddaughter, and she's coming to stay here for a few weeks."

"You're far too young to be a Grandmother," I teased.

"Oh, Jasper, you little flirt."

I blushed.

"Anyway, she'll be here in a few days, and I've got to go pick her up at the airport. You can take Monday through Wednesday off—the Society girls are coming over for tea on Wednesday and the weatherman says it's going to rain anyway."

I nodded, biting a slice of turkey and moaning in appreciation. "This…this is excellent."

She smiled in satisfaction, and we finished our meal quietly. She cleared the plates and opened the oven, and pulled out a freshly-baked peach cobbler. I had to hold back the moan of excitement as she dished me up a bowl.

"Miss Brandon, you sure know how to spoil a guy."

"Oh, hush, and let me watch you enjoy the cobbler. It was Thomas' favorite recipe," she said wistfully.

I forced myself to eat slow and savor every bite, although inside I wanted to attack the entire plate and eat like a ravenous animal.

Afterwards, I scraped the plate clean and Miss Brandon chuckled. "Alright now, run along and rest a bit before you head home."

"Home? But it's only one o'clock."

She waved a hand at me, shooing me out of the kitchen. "There's nothin' goin' on out there that can't be done tomorrow."

I nodded my head. "Yes, m'am." I grabbed my guitar and sat on the porch in the old wooden swing. I imagined Miss Brandon and her late husband Mister Tom sitting out here on warm summer evenings.

My fingers began picking at the same melody that had awoken me nights before. I closed my eyes and let the music overtake me as the rain continued to trickle slowly, pattering against the wooden porch.

********

**A/N: Oh what is this, another LMW story? Well yes, I wanted to bring you something special for the summer, and since I am a *huge* Jasper fan and have not given him a chance to lead a story yet, I thought "why not?"**

**A few things: **

**First, this is a Jasper/Alice story—don't be scared off by his current lady, Liss.**

**Second, Forks Coffee Shop is real! Forkscoffeeshop[dot]com**

**Third, the sex facts? True. I got them off Cosmo's review of a book called **_**How Sex Works**_

**Fourth, the song Jasper is writing is "To Make You Feel My Love" only he doesn't know it yet. I don't own it and neither does he, but I can play with it, can't I?**

**And Fifth, Alice might seem slightly OC, but she's an 18 year old-daddy's girl.**

**Reviews are about as good as hot and sweaty Jasper with an icy cold water bottle.**


	2. Deep In the Heart of Texas

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Twilight or Jasper, but I do own a picture of me and Jackson Rathbone *happy squee***

**A/N: I'm here, I swear! I haven't deserted this story! TwiTour Atlanta was great! But then I came home and got a nasty ear infection. But I'm recovering so I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. Here you go!**

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_The stars at night--are big and bright  
deep in the heart of Texas._

_George Straight_

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[Alice]

"Continental Airlines Flight 1846 with service to Amarillo is now boarding rows 15 through 29."

I stood up, stretched my arms, and wheeled my bag behind me to the check-in desk. I gripped my latest edition of _Vogue_ and turned back towards the window with a heavy sigh.

"Goodbye, Washington. I shall miss your incessant rain and constant clouds," I said longingly, being pushed forward by the tall woman behind me.

"I'm down here, you know," I muttered, handing my ticket and I.D. to the attendant.

"Thank you, Miss Brandon. Enjoy your flight," she said cheerily as she handed my things back to me.

I held back a groan and politely nodded, dragging my bag down the ramp towards the plane. The flight attendant smiled and welcomed me on board as I snaked my way down the aisle towards my seat. I slipped the handle of my bag down and tried to pick it up, but it was awfully heavy. With a frustrated sigh, I ran my hand through my hair.

"Here, let me help you," a nice older man in a business suit offered. He lifted the bag up and situated it in the compartment.

I looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you very much."

He nodded and took off towards his seat as I scooted in and settled down by the window. I tucked my water bottle in the seat in front of me. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I slipped it out. One new text message: Bella.

_Have fun and call me when you get settled!_

I smiled sadly, missing her already, and sent her a text back, promising to call her with news as soon as I had any.

A middle-aged woman sat down next to me, smiling. I nodded and opened my magazine, wanting to look busy and avoid conversation.

"Hello, I'm Faye. Look's like we're neighbors today!"

I smiled politely. "I'm Alice."

"What are you reading there? Anything interesting?"

I held up my magazine.

"Vogue? Isn't that originally a dance move by Madonna?"

The flight attendant came on the intercom and rescued me from chatting with Faye. He delivered the speech about fastening your seatbelts and how to turn your seat into a flotation device. Everyone was watching intently as if these were undiscovered secrets or something.

I took the time to dig my pink iPod out of my large purse, stuffing the ear buds in, hoping to shut this Faye woman out. I closed my eyes, letting the music relax and distract me. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, Faye was nudging me. I shook awake, my body stiffening.

"What? Who?"

Faye smiled at me. "We're about to land. Just thought you'd want to know."

I nodded. "Thanks."

The plane landed smoothly, and another business-looking man helped me with my carry-on bag. I pulled the handle and began dragging it behind me. I perched my sunglasses on top of my head, took a deep breath, and walked out into the airport.

"Alright, Alice, you can do this. Three weeks. Three weeks in a small Texas town with no malls, no entertainment, no car, and a grandma who makes you call her your aunt. It's no big deal—it's not like you'll be sitting with Aunt Kitty all day long watching the grass grow, right?" I faked a sob. "That's right, there is no grass!"

I scanned the crowd as I reached the waiting area. I wasn't exactly sure what my "Aunt" Kitty looked like, since I hadn't seen her since she visited our family for Christmas when I was 12. I stopped and stared at all the people around me—men had on business suits and boots, some wearing cowboy hats, or large belt buckles. One man walked up to me, smiling widely.

"Hello, miss. You look a little lost there. Can I help ya?"

I smiled gratefully. "Yes! Can you tell me what time it is?"

He looked at his watch. "Ten minutes after four."

I nodded. "Thank you, sir."

He tipped his hat to me and walked away, whistling. I shook my head—this place was a whole new ballgame for me.

"Mary Alice! Over here!" I heard someone yell loudly.

I turned to see who was calling me, and there she was—dressed in white jeans, an emerald green top, silver shoes, and a turquoise belt-buckle the size of my carry-on bag. She smiled when she caught my attention.

"Here it goes," I muttered to myself before walking over to her. She opened her arms and hugged me, squeezing tightly.

"Oh Mary Alice, look how big you are! You're all grown up now!"

I forced a smile. "Thank you, Aunt Kitty."

"Oh, just call me Kitty. Now turn around and let me take a good look at you."

I did a small twirl for her, and she smiled appreciatively.

"Well, your outfit is…comfortable looking."

I looked down at my clothes—I was wearing bright pink sweatpants, a white v-neck shirt, and some sparkle slip-on shoes. It was the "dressed down" version of Alice, and perhaps even Kitty.

"Well, you've got to start somewhere, I suppose. Now come on, little lady, we've got some catchin' up to do!" She linked my arm with hers and began to chatter on about how I was going to love Amarillo and how excited she was that I was there. But the only thing I kept thinking to myself was, _I want to go home._

********

[Jasper]

I wasn't quite sure what to do with all my time off. But I hadn't been out to visit my parents in a while, so I decided to take the few days Miss Brandon had given me and take the trip out to the ranch. I was sitting at the dinner table with Liss when I decided to bring it up.

"So, how was your day?" She asked softly, taking a bite.

I nodded, pushing peas around my plate. "Not bad. Miss Brandon gave me a few days off. She has some guests coming into town."

She cut some of her steak thoughtfully before looking up at me. "What are you going to do?"

I sighed. This was the hard part—as much as I wanted to stay at home and spend time with Liss, I really wanted to go visit my parents. I knew she would want me to stay home, since we didn't get to spend a lot of time together lately, and it wasn't like I didn't want to. I had to be careful with my approach.

"Well, I wanted to get some work done here at the house, and then I was thinkin' about heading out to my parent's ranch and give Dad a hand with repairing the barn."

I held my breath and stared down at my plate.

She didn't speak for what felt like a lifetime, but was most likely only a minute.

"That sounds great, Jasper."

I looked up at her, surprised. "Really?"

She smiled. "Of course. I'm sure I could get a few days off down at the school, and I haven't seen your parents in ages! It'll be a nice vacation for us. And you've been working so hard…"

My heart dropped to my stomach at her suggestion. My mind kept wondering, _why don't you want her to go?_ But for the life of me, I couldn't answer that question. I pushed my fork around the plate some more.

"Jasper?"

"Yes, darlin'?"

"Have you been listening to anything that I've been saying?"

"Of course—you want to come with me to the ranch."

"And what else did I say?" She asked pointedly, staring me down.

"That you haven't seen my parents in a while. I was listening."

"No, you weren't. Because if you had been listening to _everything_ I said, then you would know that I can't go because I remembered that my Aunt was coming into town, so I'll be busy helping her plan her wedding. But you were too busy pushing your food around to even listen to what I had to say!"

Her face was starting to flush—she was getting angry. _Shit._

"Honey, it's alright if you can't make it—I understand. Your Aunt really needs your help—it's no big deal; I'm sure we can go visit my parents another time."

She relaxed and smiled. "I knew you'd understand. So what should we do with your time off? I can make your favorite dinner, we could go down to the lake and go swimming…"

"I was still plannin' to go to my parents' ranch."

She dropped her fork onto the plate and it made a loud clank against the china. "So you didn't want me to go with you to your parents' house, did you?" She accused.

I ground my teeth together before approaching this argument. "That's not what I said, and you know it. But you know I don't get much time off, and I wanted to go help my Dad."

She let out a frustrated groan. "And I'm supposed to just stay here by myself?"

"Yes?"

"Jasper Whitlock, do not talk to me like I am an idiot!"

"I'm not…"

"You most certainly are!"

I set my fork and knife down on the table and looked over at her. "I'm not talking with you until you calm down." I stood up, placing my napkin on the table.

"Great, just walk away like you always do!" She stood up to follow me.

I turned to look at her. "I love you, Liss, but right now, I don't think I can be around you. You're not the same girl I met years ago who was looking to make a life for herself. You're cold, you're distant, and you're not…you."

Her face dropped and I immediately felt guilty for saying all of those things to her. This wasn't how I wanted to talk to her, but she brought it on herself. Her lip began to tremble as she stared at me.

"How…dare…you," she stammered, her eyes flooding with tears.

I shook my head and began walking out of the kitchen.

"You, you leave me alone, you never talk to me anymore, you don't touch me like you used to. And you wonder why I'm cold? You say that you love me, but you can't possibly mean it anymore."

"Darlin' I do love you. I don't wanna fight with you about this. I just wanted to go help my Dad out. It's nothing personal, and I'm not trying to get away from you—I just need to go home and get myself back together. Please, let's not fight anymore."

She walked over to me and threw her arms around me, crying into my shirt. "Oh, Jasper, I'm sorry."

"It's alright," I said, rubbing her back softly.

"No, it's not alright. I've been horrible to you lately. Things have just been hectic at work and we never spend time together anymore."

"Well, let's go down to the lake next weekend after your Aunt is gone, just the two of us. It'll be perfect, darlin' I promise."

She looked up at me with a pair of glassy eyes and a small smile. I smiled back at her and leaned down to give her a kiss. I ran my thumb across her cheek, wiping away a few stray tears.

"I love you," she whispered softly.

I nodded and smiled at her. "I love you, too."

She let go of me and began clearing the dinner table, a smile on her face. But while I felt relieved that the argument was over and her feelings weren't hurt, I couldn't help but still feel empty inside. _What was this pull I kept feeling? And when would it stop?_

********

[Alice]

"Oh, honey, you're just gonna love Texas! The weather's warm, and the people are just so friendly! This week some of my friends are going to come over and have tea and I can't wait for you to meet them! My friend Sarah is bringing her granddaughter Rosalie—she's about your age. I think you two will get along so well! She's into fashion and all that stuff, too, just like you! Mary Alice, I can't tell you how excited I am that you're here!"

Aunt Kitty had chattered non-stop since we got in the car and headed towards her house. She was going on about her friends in her women's society and some upcoming events. I stared out the window blankly and watched the scenery passing me by. Amarillo was actually a bigger city than I had expected. I noticed some exits on the highway that mentioned shopping, and hopefully I could get a chance to see what Texans were really like.

"So, do you have a beau?"

I jumped in my seat, being caught off guard. "What?"

"A beau—you know, a boyfriend? A lover?"

I blushed. "Kitty!"

She shrugged, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes. "Well, do you?"

I looked out the window. "No, I'm not seeing anyone right now."

"Maybe you'll meet you a strapping young cowboy while you're here."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Um, no thank you. No cowboys for me."

"Oh, come on, Mary Alice. Get the stereotypes out of your head and let yourself live a little while you're here. Oh look, there's the ranch."

We pulled onto a dirt road where she got out and opened the metal gate before driving through it. After bouncing around in Kitty's Buick for a mile or so, we pulled up to her ranch. I had to hold my breath.

"It's so beautiful!" I whispered.

Kitty pulled the car into the drive and got out, grabbing one of my bags from the back. "Well, thank you, sweetie. Now come inside—I'm sure you're awful tired after your long flight."

I grabbed one of my bags and followed her up the porch steps and into her house. It was stylish while being simplistic at the same time. I surveyed the living room, seeing pictures of my family, as well as some cousins and other grandkids. I smiled at pictures of me and my brother from Christmas when we were little. It was the year Kitty had sent me a cowgirl outfit and a horse head on a stick, and I was delighted. Kitty snickered behind me as she saw me reminiscing.

"You should probably call your parents and let them you know made it in okay. I've warmed up some homemade banana nut bread, so just come in the kitchen when you're done."

I nodded, pulling my phone from my purse and dialing my house. My mom answered on the third ring.

"Mary Alice! My sweet girl! How was your flight?"

I sighed. "It was fine. A little bumpy, but I'm at Kitty's house now."

There was a pause. "I hope you still aren't mad at me and her for planning this trip for you. I know you'll have fun out there."

"I hope you're right," I muttered.

"Honey, please be nice to your grandmother—she's really excited that you're there, and to get to know you a little better. Promise me you'll be the wonderful daughter I raised you to be?"

"Alright, alright. I've got to go—Kitty made banana nut bread and I just can't wait to gossip about boys and school," I said sarcastically. "Tell Dad I love him?"

"Of course. Call again when you get a chance. I love you, baby."

"Love you, too, Mom." I hung up the phone and threw it back in my purse before heading into the kitchen. Kitty was seated at the table, a pitcher of tea and a plate of sliced bread in front of her. She smiled warmly when she saw me.

"Did you get in touch with your parents?"

I nodded, sitting down in a chair across from her. She immediately began serving me, placing a piece of bread on my plate and holding up the pitcher, silently asking if I wanted her to pour me a glass. Again, I nodded. I took a sip and grinned.

"This is really great," I commented.

"Oh, yes, honey. Sugar's the key—lots and lots of it."

I bit into the banana nut bread and had to hold back a moan it was so good. I chewed thoughtfully and gave Kitty a thumb's up. "Spectacular!"

She grinned. "I can teach you how to make it while you're here, if you'd like." She reached over and took my hands, squeezing them in a loving gesture. "I'm so happy you're here, Mary Alice."

I coughed. "I actually go by just Alice now."

She nodded, smiling. "Of course you do, darling. Well it'll take me a little while to adjust, but I think I can manage this name change. So, I know you said earlier that you didn't have a boyfriend, but tell me, what kind of boy are you looking for?"

I blushed, looking down at my lap.

"Don't tell me you aren't into boys yet? I mean, you're 18 year's old!"

I laughed. "Don't worry, Kitty; I'm into boys. I just don't think I have a 'type' because I've liked all kinds of boys—smart, sporty, musicians, independent types…"

"Well, maybe one day you'll find all that wrapped up into one nice, young man. And hopefully he has a Grandpa that is simply delicious for me," she teased with a wink.

"I'll keep that in mind," I giggled.

"So tonight I figure I'd give you a chance to get settled in, unpack your stuff, we can have dinner, maybe sit out on the porch. Tomorrow we need to head into town and pick up some groceries because I didn't know exactly what you liked to eat—there's that whole vegetarian thing that's going around right now, I don't know if you're into that. Wednesday, the society gals are coming over, and you can meet Rosalie."

She'd said most of that before, but I found it endearing how she kept repeating herself. I nodded politely, my mind wandering off to thoughts of home, wanting to call Bella. I faked a yawn, and Kitty smiled at me.

"Go on up, Mar—Alice, get unpacked. I'll call you when dinner's ready."

I nodded. "Let me know if you need my help."

She smiled. "Will do."

I placed my plate in the sink and headed upstairs with my bag, rolling it into what I guessed was one of the guest rooms. Everything in it was Western-themed, with a plaid bedspread and horseshoes on the walls. I groaned as I lugged my bag up on the bed, unzipping it and hanging up some clothes as I dialed Bella's number.

"Please pick up, please pick up," I chanted.

"Hey, Ali!" Bella answered excitedly.

"Bella! Oh how I miss you already!"

She giggled. "You're so dramatic. How's Texas? Snagged a cowboy yet?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me about cowboys?"

"I don't know. So, how is it?"

I groaned. "Oh gosh, Bella! It's—it's—it's hot? And it's dry…it's the Anti-Forks!"

"Is that a good thing?"

"I don't know. I'll have to let you know. So far, it's boring. How's Forks?"

She sighed. "Lame, as always. Work's boring, and all Emmett keeps talking about is his trip. Dad's going fishing this weekend with Billy, but again, that's nothing new."

I frowned at one of my dresses which was wrinkled before putting it on a hanger. "Well I wish I was there. Even Emmett's stories sound fun right about now."

"Al, it'll be fine. You just got there—give it a shot. Trust me, anything will be better than a summer in Forks."

"We'll see about that. Bella, my room is cowboy themed—there are horseshoes all over the wall!"

"Alice," she said, chiding me, "it's a guest room—it's supposed to be cheesy. Where is your knowledge on Southern hospitality? Your grandma is Old Money, so let her just enjoy her cowboy décor. Who knows, by the end of the summer, you might rope one into your room."

"Who knows."

"Well, if you do, check and see if he has a brother," she chuckled.

"Will do, Bella. Okay, I gotta go unpack the rest of this stuff and take a nap. I'll call you with updates."

She sounded glum. "Alright. Talk to you later, Al."

"Bye, Bells. Hang in there—you never know when someone's hot nephew or grandson will waltz into Forks this summer."

She laughed. "Right. I'll hold my breath. Bye."

I hung up and the phone and frowned at it. I had almost survived Day one in Texas. I finished putting the rest of my clothes in the closet and in the drawers, setting up a couple picture frames of my friends and I that I had packed, too. The pinks and glitter clashed with the décor of the room, but I didn't care. Everyone could use a touch of Alice in their lives.

I lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a while before I eventually fell asleep. I awoke later to Kitty nudging me softly.

"Sweetie, dinner's ready. Do you want to come eat?"

I rubbed my eyes and nodded. I slipped on my fuzzy slippers and followed Kitty down to the kitchen. We ate a quiet dinner together, sat on the porch for a bit, talked about the family, and then went to bed. As I washed my face and brushed my teeth, I looked up at my reflection. I pulled at the skin around my eyes and pointed at my reflection.

"Here's lookin' at you, kid."

********

**A/N: Not much Jasper in this chapter, but he had a rough dinner. We'll hear more from him next chapter! And as always, thanks to Little Miss Masen!**

**Reviews are about as awesome as 'Spursper' doing work in your front lawn ******


	3. Gotta Be Something More

***I apologize for the millions of email alerts you might have gotten on this. With ffic being down all weekend I wasn't sure if the updates were going through. Forgive me? Please?**

**Disclaimer: I may not own Twilight or its characters, but I do like to entertain the idea that I own these versions of the characters. I do own Kitty, though—she's modeled after my Gram, Catherine. **

* * *

_Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate  
I believe that happiness is something we create  
You best believe that I'm not gonna wait  
'Cause there's gotta be something more._

_Sugarland_

* * *

[ Jasper ]

The next day, after Liss had left for work, I threw some clothes in a duffle bag, grabbed some tools from my shed, and threw them in the back of my truck. My parents had a ranch out in Happy, Texas, about an hour south on 27, and I wanted to get there before it got too hot to work outside.

After dinner last night, I sat on the back porch for hours playing my guitar and harmonica. I just couldn't shake the feeling in my bones that something was going on—I felt like inside I was changing, making room for something that was coming. But at the same time I couldn't help but wonder, _was I getting ready to let go of something I already had?_

I smiled as I saw the familiar road signs signaling I was close. I turned on my favorite radio station, twisting the dial to turn up the volume. I lowered my window and inhaled the fresh summer air. I know it sounds cliché but being back at home in Happy made me…happy. I sighed, remembering growing up out on the ranch, running through the fields and just hanging out under the stars with my friends while we roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.

Yes, it was good to be home.

I pulled up to the gate, swung out of my truck and opened it, grabbing the mail from the box, too. I drove through, got out and closed the gate, and headed towards my parent's house. I heard Rufus, my parents' dog, barking and saw him circling the driveway as I pulled off to the side. I rolled up the window and turned off the engine, sliding the keys into my front pocket. I stepped out of the car, Rufus right at my feet. I leaned down and rubbed his head.

"Hey, Roof, good to see ya, buddy."

"Jasper?" Mama called out, surprised to see me.

I looked up and waved, a huge grin spreading across my face. No matter how many people I met in my life, Mama was definitely the best. Not only was she beautiful, but she was the kindest and most generous person alive. Plus, the woman was a saint in the kitchen. Hands down, Mama was person of the year, every year.

"Hey, Mama!" I called out to her. She started running towards me with her arms open, collapsing into my embrace.

"My baby boy has come home!" She stood back to inspect me. "Well, you've still got all your limbs and your hair looks about right…I guess Liss has been taking good care of you after all!" Her smile could light up the entire night sky she was so excited to see me.

I blushed some, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Well, what brings you home? Is everythin' alright?"

Another thing I should mention about Mama Whitlock—she's fiercely protective of her son.

I nodded. "Just great, Mama. Mrs. Brandon gave me a few days off so I figured I'd come help Dad out with the stable. He's still fixin' that up, isn't he?"

She nodded, wrapping her arm around my waist as we walked towards the house. "Oh, you know your Father, baby. It might take him ten years to finish it, but he's too proud to ask for help. Although, now that you're here, he might be a bit more open to askin'."

As we walked into the house I could distinctly smell cinnamon. "Mama, are you makin what I think you are?"

She smiled and clapped her hands together. "Yes, honey! Homemade cinnamon buns! And it's a good thing you came in today because I was going to take these down to the ladies at my quilting circle."

I withheld the groan that wanted to come out of my mouth. The quilting circle was mainly Mama's gossiping buddies, and they rarely ever produced a quilt. When I was younger she used to bring me along with her to play with the other kids. We called the ladies the 'Crab claws' because they always pinched our cheeks too hard, causing them to turn red.

So, I played good son and smiled as excitedly as I could. "Well that'll give you something to do while me and Dad work on the stable. You make sure to tell the ladies that I said hello now."

She nodded profusely. "Of course! And should I be tellin' them that you and Liss are to be married soon?" she fished for gossip.

"Mama," I chided her, sneaking into the kitchen and taking a long whiff of the cinnamon aroma. It felt so good to be home again.

"Jasper, I'm just curious. She's a good girl, you know—she'd never hurt you. And she's got a good head on her shoulders—not like all those other girls you used to run around with." She shook her head. "Nope, Liss is a fine woman, and she'd make a great addition to the Whitlock family. Plus, she's got strong bones—she'll be needin' those to carry the next heirs of Whitlock."

"Mama," I groaned again, rubbing the heels of my hands over my eyes.

She swatted me with a dish towel. "Go on out to the barn and get your Father. It's just about lunch time, and you know he's never been one to be late to a meal."

I kissed her cheek and headed out towards the stable. I smiled to myself, already enjoying the feeling of being back with my family. I snuck through the rusted door and saw him talking to one of the horses, running his hand down its side.

"Hey, Dad," I said casually, leaning up against the doors of an empty stall. My boots kicked at the dirt and rocks beneath me.

He looked over at me and a small smile slipped against his face. "Son, what a surprise."

I nodded. "Had a few days off and figured I'd come give you a hand on the stable."

He nodded. "I reckon that would be mighty fine."

My Dad and I weren't always much for conversation, but I respected him highly nonetheless. He had been a driving force in my life, always encouraging me and teaching me how to be handy. He'd always say, 'A man who doesn't work hard has never worked a day in his life.' When I was younger, I wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about, but as I got older I realized that he was telling me to always work hard.

"Mama said lunch is about ready," I added, looking at him in the dull light. He had started to age and wasn't the same dad from my memories, but it was okay. He was tall, like I was, with sandy brown hair and well-defined muscles from years of farm work. He always joked and said that I was lucky to get my good looks from my Mama, but I know that I got my personality and determination from him, and that was what really mattered most.

He wiped his hands on his ripped and faded jeans. "Well, we don't want to be dissapointin' her, now do we?" He clapped my back as he walked past me and I followed alongside him. "Now tell me, son, where is that gorgeous girl you've somehow snagged?" His eyes were dancing with excitement.

Dad was in love with Liss the moment I brought her home—she could do no wrong in his eyes and was about as close to an angel as anyone could get. Whenever I'd come to visit without her, he would pout and then tell me that I shouldn't be leaving a catch like her by herself because someone was likely to snatch her up.

"She had to work, but she sends her love," I said, hoping to squash the small-talk about weddings and babies this weekend.

He nodded as we walked into the house, kicking off our boots on the porch. "Well next time you make sure you bring her with you."

"Wash up, boys," Mama reminded us as she flittered around the dining room, setting out an array of food. We washed up in the guest bathroom downstairs before sitting at the table. Mama came out with a pitcher of tea and set it down before taking her seat. We all held hands as Dad said a small prayer, blessing the food and thanking the Lord for an abundant harvest.

We chatted lightly while Mama passed the bread and sandwich meats, talking about the weather or the crops that Dad was going to plant in the fall.

"How's the library?" I asked politely. Mama ran the local library and was considered by many to be the town's historian.

"Busy in the summer, what with this heat wave we've got going and all, people just wanna come inside and read. And I can't complain too much about that, now can I?"

I shook my head, taking a bite of the delicious lunch.

"Jasper," Mama started, and I knew this couldn't be good. "I just want to ask you one thing and then I swear I won't ask about it again."

"Sounds fair," I said, setting my sandwich down.

"Caroline," my Dad warned.

"Hush, Andrew. Now, Jasper, why on God's green Earth have you not settled down with Liss yet? Honey, she won't wait around on you forever."

"Caroline," my dad started again.

"Its fine, Dad." I turned to face Mama. "I just feel like right now I'm not ready to settle down with anyone yet—I'm only 22. I don't have my life in order to get married right now."

"You know, I was 18 when I met your father, and he was 21."

"Times are different, Mama." I took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Liss is a great gal; I know that to be true. But right now I just have to get things straight before I can think about putting a ring on someone's finger."

"Just so you know, son, I approve of her whole-heartedly," my Dad announced.

I chuckled, picking my sandwich back up. "Oh, I had no doubts."

******

The next day, as planned, Mama left for her quilting circle, and Dad and I went out to work in the stable. We spent all day out there, hammering and nailing new wood to the sides, putting fresh red paint on it so it would be ready for the winter. Together we accomplished quite a lot, almost finishing the entire job. I promised my Dad we could finish up the next morning before I headed back to Amarillo.

That night after supper I brought out my old guitar that Mama still had in my bedroom. I sat on the swing and plucked away at the silent melody that was still running inside me. My fingers danced lithely across the neck as my other fingers picked at the strings near the body. I hummed quietly, trying to piece together the new melody with the one from before.

"I'd go hungry, I'd go blind for you…I'd go crawling," I sang quietly.

My heart ached at the lyrics and the thoughts behind them. _Where was this coming from? How come when I pictured the woman behind the song…it wasn't Liss?_

"That's a pretty song ," Mama said as she sat down beside me quietly. I nodded and smiled at her, switching into "Good Hearted Woman" by Waylon Jennings. She smiled as I began to sing the song my Dad always would sing as he'd swing her around in the living room.

"She's a good hearted woman in love with a good timin' man," I sang, smiling and leaning towards her as she laughed and ruffled my hair.

I finished the song and she kissed me on the forehead. "You're a good boy, Jasper Whitlock, and don't let nobody tell you otherwise."

"Love you, Mama," I said as she went inside for the night. I stayed out a bit longer, staring at the stars in the sky and thinking back on all the good times. I smiled as I thought about the future and all the great things that would come—I'd get married, have babies, and raise a family of my own.

But I wasn't ready for that just yet—something was still missing. And I was determined to find out exactly what that was.

******

[ Alice ]

Tuesday was pretty boring. Kitty and I went down to the grocery store and got some supplies, and looked around a few antique shops. We ate lunch at a small dive of a restaurant that gave Forks a run for its money, and she drove me around town, giving me the grand tour. She told me stories of my dad growing up and all the shenanigans he used to get into. It was nice, knowing more about him. She talked about Grandpa and what a good man he was, and I listened intently, hanging on every word.

When we got back to the ranch, I faked a headache and went to my room and took a nap. We ate supper together later on and watched re-runs of _The Golden Girls_ on television before retiring for the night. I called Bella before I went to sleep, telling her all about my uneventful day. She reported back the news from Forks, of which there was none, and we talked about our big plans one day.

I fell asleep staring at the ceiling counting the number of drops from the stucco decoration. The next morning I woke with a jolt, sitting straight up. I looked at my phone—it was Wednesday. Today I was meeting Kitty's society friends for tea. I had to hurry up and get ready!

I grabbed my bathroom items and scurried across the wood floor into the bathroom. I showered and dried my hair, taking extra time with the hair straightener and curling iron so my hair would look just right. I applied some make-up and stood in my closet in a bra and underwear staring at everything I had brought. After trying on a few different outfits, I decided on a lavender sundress with eyelet print. I put on a white sweater and my diamond drop necklace that my Dad gave me for my birthday one year. I slipped on some white flats and grabbed my Tiffany's bracelet before heading downstairs.

I heard a gasp just as I was coming down the last two steps.

"Mary Alice, you look so beautiful!" Kitty smiled. She looked too happy to correct on my name, and I smiled.

"Thank you," I said, twirling in front of her. "You don't look so bad yourself!"

Kitty was wearing a navy blue skirt with a white top with a ruffled collar. She looked so elegant and distinguished at the same time. Her gold jewelry added a special bit of pizzazz to the entire ensemble.

She leaned forward, fingering my necklace. "Where did you get this?" she asked curiously.

"Daddy gave it to me for my 16th birthday," I answered. "Kitty, are you alright?"

She nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. "Did your Daddy ever tell you the story behind this necklace?"

I shook my head.

"Thomas, your grandfather, gave me that necklace the night that he proposed to me. We were so in love, and he was so handsome. He didn't have enough money for a ring, so he saved up as much as he could and bought me that necklace. He told me that one day he'd make enough money to put five rings on my finger. But that part didn't matter so much to me—all I wanted was Thomas' heart. I gave that to your Daddy just after your Grandfather died. I couldn't look at it because it made me miss him so much."

I moved towards the clasp. "I can take it off, Kitty, if it upsets you."

She smiled, waving her hand at me. "No, it looks so beautiful on you. I just get so darn sentimental sometimes. Lord knows I've cried enough tears to fill up the lake out back. Please, keep it on, Mary Alice. It's nice to see that it's getting some wear."

I fingered it lightly, smiling and feeling suddenly closer to Kitty than ever before.

We went into the kitchen, putting a tray of tea and cookies together. There was a knock at the door and Kitty went running out to answer it. I could tell she was excited to show me off to her friends, and suddenly was starting to feel so bad for not spending time with her over the years. I pushed aside my guilt and arranged the cookies in an organized shape around the tea pot.

"Mary Alice!" Kitty called, and I took a deep breath before taking slow even steps out into the living room.

Three older women and a girl about my age stood there, staring at me. Suddenly I felt very self-conscious and wanted to pull at my necklace, my sweater sleeve, or my hair. Kitty just smiled widely, throwing her arm around me warmly.

"Ladies, this is my granddaughter Mary Alice. Sweetie this is Abigail, MaryAnn, Susan, and Susan's granddaughter, Rosalie."

I nodded and smiled politely as they gushed over 'how beautiful' and 'how sophisticated' I looked—well, all but Rosalie. She stood there looking bored, studying her nail beds intently.

"Let's all have a sit and some tea," Kitty said, rushing off into the kitchen and returning with the tray we had put together. The ladies sat and I took a seat on the couch next to Rosalie. She barely looked at me and I felt like a piece of dirt on the floor next to her. She was impeccable.

She wore a white pencil skirt which made her mile-long legs look even longer, and a ruby red silk top. Her shoes were red heels with white buckles, matching her outfit perfectly. Her long, curly blonde hair flowed around her shoulders, and she looked like she walked off the cover of a vintage magazine.

I instantly cursed God for making me short and plain. Rosalie took a cup of tea from Kitty and thanked her before sipping on it, her red lipstick staining the rim of the cup. She turned to me appraised me before speaking.

"Where exactly are you from again?"

"Forks, Washington. It's a small town," I said, hoping I didn't sound like a babbling idiot.

She nodded. "What do you do there?"

"Well, I just finished my first year of college, but when I am home I go to the movies, out to dinner, we drive to Port Angeles which is another town nearby and there's shopping and whatnot." I inwardly cursed myself. _Did I just say 'whatnot'?_

"Hm…sounds charming," she said sarcastically.

"And you?" I asked, feeling the blood coursing underneath my skin with anger.

"Oh, well my father works for the oil company."

I nodded. "Okay, but what do _you_ do?"

"I volunteer to help out with the local pageants and charity events. You see, _Mary Alice,_" she said my name as if it was venomous, "my family comes from old money, and we're highly prestigious in this town. Anyone who's anyone in Amarillo knows the Hales."

"Perhaps you could tell me then if there is any good shopping in the area?" I asked, using my best 'hoity-toity' voice I could muster.

"Well it depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking for that," she said, wrinkling her nose and pointing at my dress, "then I'm afraid I can't help you. But if you're looking for something a little more—sophisticated and respectable—I might be willing to take you on as a charity case."

I wanted to spit my hot tea in her face and dump the rest of it all over her white skirt. Never in my life had I met someone as rude as Rosalie Hale. She was a bitch to the highest degree.

"Oh, Rosalie, you simply must take Mary Alice to town and have a girls' afternoon!" her grandmother Susan exclaimed. I looked over and saw Kitty beaming with pride.

"I'll have to check my schedule and get back with you," Rosalie said to me.

I smiled through my gritted teeth. "That would be lovely."

In all actuality, it would not be lovely. The only thing that would be lovely right now would be to grab Rosalie by the hair and shove her in the trough where the horses drank. Yes, that would be quite lovely.

The women chatted on about who was dating who and the most recent local scandals while Rosalie and I tried to pretend like we could tolerate each other.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" she asked me, setting her cup back down on its saucer.

"Not at the moment," I said, trying to see if I could figure out where she was going with this conversation.

"Such a shame—I was certain a girl like you would have attracted some sort of attention. Perhaps it's your hair."

"And what's wrong with my hair?" I asked.

"Well, it's somewhat short—perhaps you've been mistaken for a boy."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Perhaps you've been mistaken for a cold-hearted bitch. Although I'm not so sure there's any mistake in that."

She laughed. "Oh, Mary Alice, you do have some spunk in you."

"It's just Alice," I said as politely as I could.

"Well, just Alice, I think there might be some hope for you yet."

******

**A/N: hey gang! There was a lot going on in this chapter! We met Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock, and even Rosalie Hale! Thanks for the continuous love you've been giving this story—it really means a lot to me that you are enjoying it!**

**As always, thanks to the usual suspects for this story, Little Miss Masen and Kimberlycullen10! You gals help me out so much more than you know!**

**If you're in the mood for crackfic, CharlsaD and myself are collaborating on "It's Not Stalking If You Don't Get Caught" and its highly addicting.**

**And apparently I'm announcing that you can follow me on Twitter: melsvfp  
(if you're gonna follow me, can you send me a message so I'll know you're legit? I've been weeding out fake accounts and don't wanna lose you on accident!)**

**Reviews make Spursper wanna write you a love song and sing it on a porch swing…**


	4. Famous in a Small Town

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I do own a list of excuses as to why I haven't updated in ages.**

**Mini a/n: thanks to the bestie/beta Little Miss Masen**

* * *

_Every last one, route one, rural hearts got a story to tell  
Every grandma, in law, ex girlfriend  
Maybe knows it just a little too well  
Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail  
Hey words gonna get around  
Everybody dies famous in a small town_

_Miranda Lambert  
_

[ Alice ]

Two torturous hours after Kitty's friends left, I was sitting on the porch in a pair of sweatpants and a hooded sweatshirt, knees pulled up to my chest. My chin rested on my knees as I stared out into the trees that lined the property. Some cows were making low moo's as they grazed across the open pasture next to the forest.

My meeting with Rosalie Hale did not go well at all. We continued to go head to head and I fought the urge to roll my eyes as she droned on and on about the local Miss Firecracker pageant that would be held on the Fourth of July. If she wasn't such a cocky woman, I'm sure that Rosalie and I could be good friends—she was only one year older than me, but her presence and personality made it seem like she was much older. I felt like I could never measure up to the standards that she had set.

Kitty tried to reassure me that Rosalie would settle down as she warmed up to me—but deep down I knew if anything changed, it would be because Kitty had said something to Susan. I'd only been here a few days, but I already knew that Kitty was a meddler, getting in the middle of everyone's business and trying to make sure everyone was happy.

But I wasn't. This summer was going to be the longest summer ever. I wanted to stay on the farm and let the next couple of weeks pass me by, no matter how long the days might seem. If I couldn't go home, then I wanted to wallow and brood in peace.

I picked up my cell phone that was next to me on the armrest and was shocked that I received signal—as far as I knew, the only place I could get signal was in my bedroom. I quickly dialed Bella's number and waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" she asked quietly.

"Bella?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Hey Alice."

"Why are you whispering?"

"I'm at the library—hold on, I'll walk outside." I waited for a moment before she came back on the line. "How's the great state of Texas?"

I sighed. "Oh just peachy. Today we had lunch with Kitty's society friends."

"That doesn't sound too bad—were they cheek pinchers or something?"

"No, they were really nice. But one of them brought her daughter, Rosalie."

I heard her make a coughing noise. "Sounds like a bitchy name."

I laughed. "Well her name definitely fits her personality. She was absolutely horrible, Bella! She insulted my clothes, my hair—and then said that she might be willing to take me on as a charity case! The nerve! Alice Brandon is no one's charity!"

"How rude. Was she pretty?"

"Gorgeous. I think that's why I hate her even more. Her family owns an oil company here so she's rich and gorgeous."

She sighed. "Sorry, Alice. Maybe you won't have to see her again."

"Fat chance! She's taking me shopping to show me the 'finer parts' of Amarillo. Kill me now, please."

"I can't kill you—then who would be my best friend? Emmett? I do NOT think so."

We both chuckled—I found myself feeling better already. "I miss you, B. Tell me what's going on in Forks?" I settled back in the chair, dangling my legs over the side.

"Nothing too exciting—the other day Charlie arrested a kid trying to steal from Newton's, Jessica and Lauren came in to the diner the other day talking about some party they went to in Port Angeles. Same old."

"A shoplifter? What would anyone want to steal from Newton's?"

She giggled. "Apparently they were caught stealing some beanies and gloves—Charlie's strutting around here because he thinks he stopped a burglary from happening."

I smiled. "Well, tell the Chief I'm proud of him—he deserves a free dessert or something."

She groaned. "I'm sure they will throw him a parade or something—that's how hard up this town is for reasons to celebrate."

"Well, at least there's something to tell! I'm sure it'll be on the front page of the paper for a whole week! Your dad is a hero, Bella!"

"I'm glad you're not here. You make Charlie's head swell so much it won't fit in the house!"

"I think I'm gonna go into town and send him a postcard," I mused.

"Well, if you see any of those cow skulls, bring one home, will ya? I want to make Emmett jealous."

I laughed. "Will do." I sighed. "I just want to come home. I hate it here. Kitty is nice enough, but I just—I don't belong here." A rogue tear escaped down my cheek and I swiped it away with the back of my hand.

"Alice, listen to me. If you were here, the only difference would be that you'd have your car and you'd have to listen to Emmett's backpacking stories on repeat. Let me tell you, I wish I was in Texas right now."

"You should come visit!" I squealed, sitting up excitedly. "Oh Bella it would be so much fun!"

"I can't—I don't have the money and I can't take time off from the diner. I'll never make enough money for school in the fall if I do that."

I frowned, sitting back in the chair again. "I wish you could."

She sighed. "Me, too. But you hang in there. Go to town or something—I'm sure if you look hard enough, you'll find something you like there."

I bit my lower lip before replying. "Fine. I'll try. You're a terrible best friend, Bella Swan—you're supposed to be wallowing and begging me to come home," I teased.

I could almost sense her roll her eyes. "I love you, too, Alice."

"I'll talk to you later. I think I'm going to go for a walk and I don't know if I'll get service."

"Alright. Hang in there!"

We hung up and I groaned inwardly. I stood up from the chair, slipping my feet into a pair of flip-flops. I walked off the porch and towards the pasture. I hooked my leg onto one of the wooden fence posts and hoisted myself up. I watched the cows moseying around and let my mind wander. Although Forks was a small town, it had a lot of similarities to Kitty's ranch—there were spans of quiet forest and random animals. If I closed my eyes and listened, I could almost convince myself that I was back at home. Almost.

The moment I closed my eyes, I lost my balance and fell off the fence. I attempted to steady myself but only ended up stepping into a pile of cow poo.

"Ah! I want to go home!" I cried as I stared down at my foot. My shoes were now ruined, and I never wanted to see them again. Tears started falling at a faster pace as I internally cursed my parents for sending me here.

I slipped off the shoe and left it there. I walked over to the small lake and dipped my foot in, trying to shake the, well, shit, off it. I pulled my foot out and stuck it back in when I noticed it was still dirty. After rinsing and repeating several times, my foot was clean and I hopped back towards the house. I sat on the front steps and finished having a good cry. I shook out my hands and stood up.

"You can take the girl out of Forks, but you can't take Forks out of the girl."

It was decided: I was going to rock this town.

**** **

[ Jasper ]

I set my coffee mug down on the bench and rubbed my hand across my face. The air was already warm and I felt my thin t-shirt already beginning to cling to me. I sat down on the small wooden chair and looked up at the sky. Yep, it was gonna be a hot one.

I heard the back door open and shut, the sounds of her feet shuffling toward me.

"Mornin," I called out gruffly, my eyes darting over to her face.

"Sleep well?" she asked.

I closed my eyes and nodded. "Yeah; it was late when I got in—you were already asleep and I didn't want to wake you."

"I know," she whispered.

We didn't speak for a long time, and my heart was beating fast, wondering if she was angry with me.

"I've got to get ready for work, I'll see you tonight at dinner," she said, turning around and going back in the house.

I heard the sadness aching in her voice and sighed loudly, sipping on my cup of caffeine. When I had gotten back into town last night it was still kind of early, but I didn't want to come home and see Liss—instead I called up one of my buddies and met up for a few drinks. By the time I started to feel fuzzy, I headed home and passed out in the guest room.

I knew Liss had probably smelled the alcohol on me, or the scent of stale bar, and I hated lying to her—it wasn't who I was or who my Mama had raised me to be.

So what was the deal?

I ran the lines from the new song I'd been working on over and over in my head, hoping to string them together. I hummed softly as I finished my drink and pulled on my old dusty boots. I stood up and walked into the house, dropping my mug in the sink as I grabbed my keys off the hook. I jingled them lightly against my hand as I walked out to my truck and hopped in. The door groaned a little, needing to be oiled, but the engine purred to life without any hesitance so I was a happy guy.

I turned on my stereo that was shiny and new. Liss had gotten it for me for my birthday almost a year ago and I couldn't have been happier. She always joked that I loved that truck like it was my kid, and she might have actually been right. But I was in denial—and it wasn't in Egypt.

My thumbs tapped rhythmically across the wheel as I listened in on the morning reports of traffic, weather, and celebrity gossip. Nothing really enticed me too much about all the Hollywood glamour; sure, I enjoyed going to the movies and watching television, but I didn't have time to concern myself with the whereabouts of Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears.

I changed the channel to a country station and rolled down my window, letting the fresh air wash over me. There was something calming about the countryside ride towards Miss Brandon's ranch. The scenery always made me feel retrospective and relaxed. I welcomed the morning drives not only because of the serenity, but because of the time I spent just thinking.

I remembered that Miss Brandon said her granddaughter was coming and I smiled at the thought—I generally liked kids, so I was hoping she'd be a fun little one that I could entertain sometimes so Miss Brandon wouldn't have to chase her around all day. One day I'd have some kids of my own, and I was excited to chase them around, take 'em to the lake, and spoil them rotten behind their mother's back.

Up until recently, I'd always thought the mother of my children would be Liss—she was a kind soul, a genuine sweetheart, and she loved me very much. There wasn't a girl better in this town than her, and I was a lucky bastard for being chosen by her. But over the past few weeks I'd felt a distance come between us—it wasn't necessarily a large gap, but it was enough to make me re-think all the plans we'd assumed we'd make in the upcoming future.

I pulled up to the gate at Miss Brandon's and jumped out, opening the gate and driving through. My truck sputtered down the familiar graveled path that I had re-done only a few summers ago with the help of some other gentlemen in town. After Miss Brandon's husband died, she'd needed more help around the place. I offered to help only because she had all but adopted me into her family when I first moved here with Liss.

We met at the local Baptist church on a Sunday. She came right up to us before the service as we quietly tried to find a seat. She gave us a large smile and welcomed us into the town and the church. I offered her my hand to shake but she refused.

"Oh, come on and give an old lady a hug—I don't bite…hard," she'd joked as I stood up and was pulled into her embrace.

Yes, Miss Brandon was definitely a character around these parts—she knew everything about everyone, but she was smart in what she let slip out into public gossip. She'd lived in this town nearly her whole life and everyone within a 50 mile radius of the town knew who Catherine Brandon was by now.

She'd hired me on to work for her only because she said she didn't feel right about workin' me for free. I tried to assure her that I would work for her down-home Southern cooking but she wouldn't hear of it. In the end, Miss Brandon paid me for my work and often fed me or sent food home with me.

I turned off the truck and opened the door, sliding out onto the dirt. My boots kicked at some gravel as I walked toward the back of the truck and popped a few water bottles into the cooler. I wiped my hands on my jeans and threw on my trusty cowboy hat. The poor thing looked worse for wear, being bleached out by the sun, but it was my favorite and I refused to let it go.

I made my way towards the stable and began my morning routine of letting the horses out, shoveling hay, mucking some of the dirtier stalls and checking on the rest of the animals. The routine of the job was comforting, allowing my mind to wander as I hummed some of my favorite songs.

After a few hours of miscellaneous tasks, I set towards the house to say good morning to Miss Brandon and see if she needed anything specific done or coming up that I would need to order supplies for. I stopped by my truck and wiped my face off with a small towel. It may have only been ten or so in the morning but it was already going to be a scorcher.

The screen door creaked open—it'd been making that noise for years but I could never bring myself to fix it. Whenever Miss Brandon would tell me stories about her husband she always joked about the door. I figured I'd leave it as a reminder of the good times they shared together.

I looked up and saw someone I didn't recognize—she was most likely in her teens, short with dark hair. Her hand formed a shield over her eyes as she peered out at me. I stood there for a moment trying to figure out who she was before taking a few steps forward.

"Hello?" I called out as I made my way towards her.

She stepped off the porch and began to walk straight at me, a confused look on her face. "Hi?" she asked.

I smiled at her and nodded my head. "I'm Jasper Whitlock, ma'am. I work for Miss Brandon here," I said politely.

She nodded, returning my smile. "My name is M—aaary Aliiiice!" she cried loudly as her foot slipped on a rock and fell butt first into a mud puddle on the front lawn.

I tried to hold back a laugh but could barely contain myself. A small laugh escaped me and she glared up at me, huffing. I held out my hand and she took it, pulling herself up from the ground. She was covered in mud from her waist down and I had to close my eyes momentarily to keep my cool.

"W-w-what did you say your name was?" I choked out.

She fisted her hands on her hips. "Oh, go right on ahead and laugh it up! Yes, I fell in the mud, okay? It happens—it happens a lot around here!"

I was holding onto my side by this point and staring off into the woods, willing my eyes not to water.

"I'm Mary Alice, but I go by Alice," she supplied.

I looked back at her. "You're Miss Brandon's granddaughter?"

"You look surprised," she noted.

I nodded. "I thought you were six or seven years old."

"I'm a sophomore in college; I'm just short for my age."

I shook my head. "No, that's not what I meant—I meant that I thought you were going to be six years old—Miss Brandon talked about you like you were a kid! I didn't mean any disrespect."

She groaned and stared down at her feet. "It's alright—I'm just defensive."

The porch door creaked again and I heard Miss Brandon's voice. "Mary Alice, what on God's green Earth have you done? You're all covered in mud!"

"I fell," she explained.

She looked over at me and smirked. "Well, now that you've said good morning to Jasper, come in and clean yourself off and help me get started on lunch, will you, please?"

Alice looked back at me, daring me not to laugh again.

I put my hands up in surrender and took a step back. I could hear Miss Brandon chuckling from the stairs.

She turned and started walking towards the house. The backside of her was even more covered in mud than the front, and a small chuckle escaped my lips. She turned around and pointed at me, and I turned my face blank.

After she trekked into the house, Miss Brandon turned to me and smiled. "She's a firecracker, that one. I think she gets it from me."

I laughed and nodded my hat at her. "Good morning, Miss Brandon," I said politely.

She smiled. "Oh yes, Jasper. Good morning indeed."

******

**A/N: Well, readers, there you have it—the big meet up. Is it how you thought it would be? **

**I have a ton of excuses as to why the updates are few and far between but you don't wanna hear 'em, right? Check my author profile if you do.**

**Reviews are the only way I'll know what you're thinking since Edward's too stingy to share his abilities with me.**

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	5. Wild at Heart

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**A/N: Thanks to the bestie, Little Miss Masen, for helping me get back in the saddle ;)**

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_I ain't here to do nothing half-way  
don't give a damn what anyone might say  
I just wanna free fall for a while  
-Gloriana, Wild at Heart_

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[ Alice ]

I trudged up the stairs and into the bathroom, almost shrieking as I caught sight of myself in the mirror. I had mud in my hair and I looked like I'd be drug around behind a tractor or something! I turned on the shower and let it heat up some before I stepped inside, trying to wash the caked off dirt and crust. I must have scrubbed for hours, and my skin was more than pink by the time I stepped out. I wrapped up in a large towel and wiped off the fogged mirror. My hair was flat and stringy looking, in desperate need of some styling, and my skin was so pale I looked sickly.

Grabbing my brush, I started getting to work on fixing myself up again. About halfway through my make-up, I dropped the brush in the sink. Why was I getting so glammed up? For this guy, Kitty's ranch hand? Jasper?

"Oh, no, this is not acceptable," I said as I finished up a base coat of make-up and put the rest away. I was not going to start crushing on this boy. No. Texas was not going to suck me in with a Southern accented, tight jeans wearin, shaggy blonde-haired boy.

I walked back into my room and pulled on a jean skirt and a flowing tank top. The weather was so warm that I didn't want to wear anything that would stick to me. I slipped on some flip-flops and hustled down the stairs to see what Kitty was up to, my legs moving faster than they had in days. She was hunched over the sink and I let out a small noise of greeting.

"Mary Alice, honey, c'mon over here and let me show you how to do this," she said as she waved me over to her.

I walked up to see a big pot of green beans. This didn't look like fun.

"What you do is, you can just snap the ends off and put the bean in this pot here. Or, if your fingers get tired of snapping you can cut the ends with this paring knife," she explained, snapping a few beans in front of me to show me how it worked.

I grabbed one and snapped them, enjoying the crisp pop noise they would make as I snapped them. Kitty turned on the kitchen radio and began to sing along, dancing around the kitchen and banging on some pots that hung over top of us. I was laughing at her and smiling, and it felt really nice.

"So, Mary Alice, do you have any plans for today?"

I shook my head. "No, I thought maybe I'd take a blanket out to the field and read for a while or something," I said nonchalantly.

"Oh, alright," she said somewhat sadly.

I turned to her and set down the handful of beans I was working on. "Why? Did you need me to help you with something?"

She smiled. "Well, after lunch I was going to send Jasper into town to grab something for me, and I thought you might be dying to get off the property for a bit, and would want to go with him."

I was on to her. I knew what she was trying to do. And part of me wanted to let her. "Do you think Jasper would want me following him around?"

She waved her hand at me before shaking her head. "You wouldn't be following him around, honey, you'd be giving him some company. He could use a few friends in this town, and you're going stir crazy!"

"Well, I guess if he didn't mind…" I trailed off, going back to the beans.

"You just worry about them beans and let me do the rest," Kitty said as she opened the oven to check on whatever she was making. It smelled great.

We worked silently for a while, and when I got done with the beans, she showed me how to shuck corn, which we would be having with our dinner. I sat in one of the old wooden chairs with a paper bag between my legs and a stack of corn on the table. To say it kindly, I was not having a good time. And I was not that great at shucking corn. I had some of the silk all over the floor and in my shirt.

Kitty left the room, saying something about being right back and checking on chickens. I just nodded and went back to trying to get all the stringy silk out between the pieces of corn.

"Stupid corn—you couldn't just give in and let me win, could you? No, Alice can't be good at anything country."

I heard the front door creak and clenched my jaw. This corn was going down. I stood up and started banging it against the table, trying to air out my frustrations.

"You'll never get the silk out like that," he laughed, taking the ear out of my hands. Jasper walked over to the sink and opened the drawer, pulling out some sort of brush. With a swift motion, he had the corn over the bag and was brushing the silk out like a professional. When he was done he blew on it and then handed it back to me. "The brush helps," he said sheepishly.

I wanted to be angry. In fact, I felt my cheeks turning red. But part of me was so amazed that he could do that so easily…that I was jealous. "Th-thank you," I stammered.

He shrugged. "No problem; I can't believe Miss Brandon didn't tell you about that. Here, you got some in your hair," he laughed as his hand picked out some of the silk.

And when his fingers touched my hair, my eyes closed involuntarily and I wanted to lean into him and inhale him. But I snapped myself back to reality and shied away, turning my head towards the door.

"Yea, she probably just wanted to see me suffer," I teased.

He rubbed his hands together and let out a low whistle. I looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. "So, are you likin' Texas so far?"

I chewed on the inside of my lower lip before I spoke. "Well, it's definitely warmer here. I like that."

He nodded and I sat back down by the corn. I picked up another ear and slowly peeled the shell away. I stared at it intently. I focused on picking out the bits of silk, listening to my breath as it went in and out. From the corner of my eye I could see Jasper pick up another ear and begin shucking. We worked silently together until Kitty walked back in when we were almost finished.

"Oh, great, I see Jasper's found you and kept you company! Sorry the chickens took so long. Nasty buggers they are sometimes," she rattled on and she opened the oven and let out a loud 'mmmm' at the smell. She walked over and took the pile of corn from us and tossed it in a pot and fluttered around the kitchen.

"So, Mary Alice, I was talking to Mrs. Hale and she said that Rosalie is looking forward to the two of you spending time together," Kitty started.

From the corner of my eye I saw Jasper flinch and promised myself I'd ask him about it later. I was always interested in a little town gossip, and since nothing else was going on around here, I might as well get in the know.

"Did she say that?" I asked.

She hummed in confirmation. "She's a nice girl, and you should get along famously. You've both got a sense for fashion and she's the go-to-girl for everything in Amarillo."

I chanced a glance at Jasper, but he was looking down at his hands, picking at his cuticles. I wanted to slap him and tell him not to do that, that he'd cause bleeding, but it wasn't my place.

Kitty poured Jasper a glass of her homemade Sun Tea and told him to go wash up before lunch. She was standing over the stove when she turned to look at me. "Be nice to him, Mary Alice. He's a nice boy, a hard worker, and has a heart the size of Texas."

I nodded as I poured myself a glass of lemonade and set it on the table. I took a handful of silverware and set it next to the plates, before grabbing some napkins and sliding them under the silverware. I didn't want to look tacky in front of Jasper. Not that I wanted to look anything special in front of him, either.

"Go wash up, dear," Kitty said, giving my shoulder a nudge. I went up to my bathroom and washed my hands, looking up at my face in the mirror. I was almost horrified when I saw a piece of corn silk standing out like a skunk stripe in my hair.

"I thought he—" I started to say before it all made sense. I growled in frustration and pulled it out of my hair, stomping downstairs and into the kitchen.

Jasper was seated at the table already, and Kitty was bringing over the bowl of corn. I let out a frustrated sigh and she looked over to me. "What's the matter?"

I huffed and sat down in my chair across from Jasper, eyeing him. "I just thought I was doing a pretty good job shucking corn, but it turns out I had more stuck in my hair than in the trash bag." I glared at Jasper. I knew when he'd pulled the silk from my hair that he'd put some in there. He thought he was funny. He thought he was cute.

I was onto him. If he wanted to fight, he picked the wrong partner to mess with. I was Mary Alice Brandon, scrapper extraordinaire.

* * *

[ Jasper ]

I swallowed thickly as she glared at me from across the table. For being so small, this girl was menacing. I felt a chill run through my body and I could see Mrs. Brandon giving me the side eye. I grabbed a roll and busied myself with buttering it. I could still feel the heat coming off Alice's face and suddenly my lunch became very interesting.

"Does someone wanna tell me what happened?" Mrs. Brandon asked.

"No, m'am," I said quietly, shoveling a forkful of food in my mouth.

I heard a clatter of silverware and then Alice cleared her throat. I looked up and she was…smiling?

"Everything's great. I was just a little embarrassed that I had corn in my hair, that's all."

"I didn't even notice! I'm so sorry!" Mrs. Brandon exclaimed.

"It's fine," she said quietly.

I wanted to be sick—I felt like a huge jerk. Of course earlier she'd had corn in her hair, and I pulled most of it out. But I didn't want to look like a monkey picking it all out. And I felt like it would be rude for me to tell her she had a whole bunch more in there. So I tried to ignore it, thinking Mrs. Brandon would say something to her. And now I looked like a tool.

Lunch was very quiet, and afterwards I excused myself to go putter around the property. I walked out along the fence and stopped to watch the horses running around in the paddock. It was a nice day outside and the horses were full of energy. I leaned over the fence and let myself get lost in watching them chase each other. It was such a freeing and relaxing feeling.

I jumped when I heard her voice behind me. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

I turned around to look at her. "For what?"

"For accusing you of putting something in my hair." She took a deep breath. "I'm just not used to this place yet."

I stood there watching her. She was a tiny thing, with dark hair and deep eyes. Her skin looked creamy and oh so soft. I had the urge to touch her arm just to see, but kept myself apart from her. Something was happening to me, and I didn't know what it was.

"This is where you forgive me," she said, butting into my daydreams.

I coughed. "Oh, right. I forgive you."

She scoffed. "Well don't say it if you don't mean it."

"Are we gonna fight the whole time you're here?" I asked.

Her mouth dropped. "What makes you think that I'm going to talk to you?"

And my blood started boiling. "Oh, that's right, I forgot. You're going to be best friends with Rosalie Hale; you'll join her little group of minions and hang out with Amarillo's finest. I hope you enjoy your time at the top; but just remember, what comes up must always come down."

I left her standing there with her mouth still open as I walked away back towards the house. My boots were kicking up sand and my mind was running a mile a minute. I was just trying to be nice to the girl—why did she have to be so childish?

My phone started ringing and I pulled it from my back pocket. It was Liss. I answered. "Hello?"

"Jasper, hey, I'm sorry to be calling you while you're at work, but there's a problem."

"A problem? What's wrong?" I said as my head started to come up with all the different things that could be wrong.

"Well, I came home real quick on my lunch break to grab some of my lessons and I found the toilet had overflowed while we were gone. I went ahead and mopped it up, but it'll definitely need to be checked out."

"Alright, I'll put in a call and look it over when I get done at the ranch."

She was silent for a few moments before she whispered, "I love you," and hung up before I could say it back.

I slammed the phone shut in aggravation and shoved it back in my pocket. At least now I had an excuse to leave early and get away from everything here today. I walked up to the house and knocked on the screen door. Mrs. Brandon came out and laughed at me.

"Jasper, you don't really need to knock, you know that."

"I know, Mrs. Brandon, but I wasn't sure if you were decent or not."

She blushed. "Well Jasper Whitlock, ain't you a smooth talker?"

I kicked at the wooden planks of the porch and saw one was loose. I mentally reminded myself to fix that next time I was here. "I just got off the phone with Liss and she said that there's a plumbing issue back at our house but she had to get back to work. So I was wondering, if it was alright with you, if I took off early to go check it out?"

She waved her hand at me. "That's fine. Do you want me to call Andrew Murray and have him meet you there? You know he's the best plumber in town."

I smiled. "That would be great—but only if it isn't too much an inconvenience for him. I wouldn't wanna be takin' him from someone with an emergency."

"Nonsense, Jasper, you worry too much. Just head on home and I'll be seein' you soon."

I thanked her again before turning back towards my truck. I saw Alice walking towards me and willed my eyes to look anywhere but at her. I didn't want to somehow offend her again. I rushed down the few steps and brushed past her, almost leaping into my truck as soon as the door was open. I reversed and caught a glimpse of her face and she looked sad, but I was too angry to even think about any of that.

Why was I letting this girl get to me? And why was she so insistent on pushing my buttons?

I drove home in silence and true to her word Andrew Murray was waiting in my driveway. He followed me in, and for the next few hours I helped him fix the pipes in our plumbing. As he was leaving I told him to send me a bill and he just waved his hand as he walked on. I wasn't sure what that was about, but I figured I'd find out soon enough.

Liss came home a while later and we had chicken for dinner. After clean up, we sat out on the back porch as the sun set. She had a set of papers in her hand that she was grading and I lazily widdled a scrap of wood. It was dark before I knew it, and I looked down to see that I had carved a small horse. Liss looked over at it and smiled when I set it on the table.

We went up to bed that night and as I held her body against mine, my mind went into a million different places. I couldn't rest because the melody of that song I'd been working on kept coming to me. Eventually I drowned it out by counting backwards in my head, but I knew tomorrow was going to be a long day. I just wasn't sure what was going to happen when I got back to Mrs. Brandon's ranch.

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**LMW:** hello to everyone who hung in there and waited around for me to update! Thanks for the PMs and all your concerns. Story is back on track and I can't thank you enough for your love and support!


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